Three Stories from the past and one for the future

0. Intro: Why tell stories?

2 Peter 3:1-14

Dear friends, this is now the second letter I am writing you, in which I am trying to stir up your pure mind by way of reminder:

I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles.

Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges

and saying, “Where is his promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.”

For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by means of water,

and that by means of these the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.

But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgement and destruction of the ungodly.

Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a roar, and the stars and planets will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.

Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness,

while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the stars and planets will melt away in a blaze!

But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.

Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.

based on NET Bible + words taken from ESV

1. Tyre

Ezekiel 28

Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, This is what the sovereign LORD says:
‘Your heart is proud and you said, “I am a god;
I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas”—
yet you are a man and not a god,
though you think you are godlike…

By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself;
you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.

By your great skill in trade you have increased your wealth,
and your heart is proud because of your wealth.

Map of Tyre, Nineveh & Babylon

Ezekiel 28 v6–10

‘Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says:
Because you think you are godlike,

I am about to bring foreigners against you, the most terrifying of nations.
They will draw their swords against the grandeur made by your wisdom, and they will defile your splendor.

They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die violently in the heart of the seas.

Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you —though you are a man and not a god—
when you are in the power of those who wound you?

You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners;
for I have spoken, declares the sovereign LORD.’

Ezekiel 26:1-18

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

“Son of man, because Tyre has said about Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I will become rich, now that she has been destroyed,’

therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Look, I am against you, O Tyre! I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.

They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers. I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock.

She will be a place where fishing nets are spread, surrounded by the sea. For I have spoken, declares the sovereign LORD. She will become plunder for the nations,

and her daughters who are in the field will be slaughtered by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

“For this is what the sovereign LORD says: Take note that I am about to bring King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people.

He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword. He will build a siege wall against you, erect a siege ramp against you, and raise a great shield against you.

He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and smash down your towers with his weapons.

He will cover you with the dust kicked up by his many horses. Your walls will shake from the noise of the horsemen, wheels, and chariots when he enters your gates like those who invade through a city’s broken walls.

With his horses’ hoofs he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will tumble down to the ground.

They will steal your wealth and loot your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your luxurious homes. Your stones, your trees, and your dirt he will throw into the water.

I will silence the noise of your songs; the sound of your harps will be heard no more.

I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place where fishing nets are spread. You will never be built again, for I, the LORD, have spoken, declares the sovereign LORD.

“This is what the sovereign LORD says to Tyre: Oh, how the coastlands will shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, at the massive slaughter in your midst!

All the princes of the sea will vacate their thrones. They will remove their robes and strip off their embroidered clothes; they will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit on the ground; they will tremble continually and be shocked at what has happened to you.

They will sing this lament over you:
” ‘How you have perished – you have vanished from the seas,
O renowned city, once mighty in the sea,
she and her inhabitants, who spread their terror!

Now the coastlands will tremble on the day of your fall;
the coastlands by the sea will be terrified by your passing.’

based on NET Bible + words taken from ESV

Notice the details (just read highlighted verses)

A king called Nebuchadnezzar

come from Babylon

bring siege engines

break walls

destroy city

smash towers

throw the rubble into the sea!

even the dirt scraped off to leave bare rock

a place for the spreading of fishermen’s nets

the surrounding cities would be terrified

it would never be rebuilt

Seventeen years after this prophecy was given...

The great King Nebuchadnezzar came and conquered Jerusalem

and then laid siege on Tyre

He wanted Tyre so badly because of his greed for the great treasure there

He did exactly what the prophecy said—he used massive force and battering rams

Eventually he smashed the walls down

But when he finally broke in, he found the place empty

He had forgotten that these people were experts in ships

There were a couple of islands just off the coast and the inhabitants had escaped and taken all their treasure

He and his army were furious and they took out their anger on the stones of the city

They smashed down everything they could and killed any stragglers they could find

Nebuchadnezzar when home without the treasures

and the new city prospered

But that about the rest of the prophecy?

Rubble in the sea? Even the dirt scraped off?

Who was likely to do a clean-up operation on this ruined city and throw all the rubble and dirt into the sea?

It doesn’t make sense!

A place for fishermen to spread nets?

Not possible—not even flat—heaps of ruins

Surrounding nations terrified?

Didn’t happen. The opposite!

Never be rebuilt?

although it hadn’t yet, it was still a prime location

For generations God’s promise remained unkept

240 years later...

Alexander the Great and his army were beginning their astonishing conquest of the world

Nation after nation was falling before him

The Island City (which they called Tyre after the old city) laughed at him from their island fortress

But Alexander the Great was so determined that he decided to build a causeway 200ft wide from the mainland out to the island

Just under a km long

Causeway

Guess where he got the material from to build the causeway?

He scraped the rock clean, even the dirt was used

He wiped out the new city and took the treasures

The surrounding cities were so shocked by his determination they all surrendered